Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound found in red wine, grapes, purple grape juice, peanuts and berries of the Vaccinum species including blueberries, bilberries and cranberries.

In test tube studies, resveratrol has been found to scavenge free radicals and halt the oxidation of low density lipoprotein—a risk factor in heart disease.  Researchers speculate that resveratrol may help to explain the “French Paradox”—the reduced rates of heart disease in France despite a high saturated fat diet and cigarette smoking.

Scientists have also discovered that resveratrol has DNA-protective and life-lengthening effects.

Other studies have found resveratrol inhibits the growth of cancer cells and causes apoptosis (cell suicide) in certain cell lines.

References

Gehm, B.D., McAndrews, J.M., Chien, P.-Y., and Jameson, J.L. 1997. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in grapes and wine, is an agonist for the estrogen receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 94: 14138- 14143. ,Jang, M., Cai, J., Udeani, G.., Slowing, K.V., Thomas, C.F., Beecher, C.W.W., Fong, H.H.S., Farnsworth, N.R., Kinghorn, A.D., Mehta, R.G., Moon, R.C., and Pezzuto, J.M. 1997. Cancer chemopreventive activity. Brito P, Almeida LM, Dinis TC. The interaction of resveratrol with ferrylmyoglobin and peroxynitrite; protection against LDL oxidation. Free Radic Res. 2002;36(6):621-631. Frankel EN, Waterhouse AL, Kinsella JE. Inhibition of human LDL oxidation by resveratrol. Lancet. 1993;341(8852):1103-1004